On Wednesday, the local government issued a Letter of Objection against the
nearly P300-million Mariblo Pumping Station project, halting excavation and
foundation works being carried out by its contractor, Alrie Construction Services.
“Naglabas ng Letter of Objection ang Quezon City Government kaugnay ng
isinasagawang flood control project ng Department of Public Works and Highways –
National Capital Region (DPWH–NCR) na Mariblo Pumping Station sa Mariblo Creek,
upang mapahinto ang proyekto habang hindi pa nasisimulan," the local government
said in a statement.
The city explained that the pumping station is to be built directly on the creek,
which violates the Water Code provision that classifies such areas as non-buildable.
ABS-CBN News. (2025, August 21). QC LGU says DPWH’s ₱300M water pumping
station may worsen floods. https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/21/qc-
lgu-said-dpwh-ncr-s-p300m-water-pumping-station-may-worsen-floods-2132
According to the research firm GHD, heavy floods, prolonged drought, and tropical storms are predicted to account for over 90
percent of direct losses or around $124 billion between 2022 and 2050. Citing GHD, storms have the most significant direct impact
on the Philippine economy, with the agriculture sector bearing the brunt of the disaster. Despite the predictability of these hazards
and the enormous funds allocated for flood control systems, the current systems remain grossly inadequate.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) had deficiencies on its Commission on Audit (COA) 2023 annual report,
showing mishandled 3,047 locally-funded projects worth a total of 131.57 billion pesos, and 17 foreign-assisted projects worth 84.4
billion pesos. All these failed implementations were due to inadequate planning, detailed engineering, and supervision that led to
delays or non-implementation.
“In Palawan, COA flagged that the 120-million-peso San Pedro flood control project was only at 34.63% complete despite over 80%
of the funds having been released. Soon after the release of this report, floods swamped parts of Palawan, including Brgy. San
Pedro. One of the major problems in this government is not just misuse of power to exploit natural resources but also the fact that
private business and elite interests are allowed to meddle in governance. The government’s power, authority, and functions are no
longer visible in the provisioning of basic services and their regulation. An example is the policies under the Philippine Mining Act
and Mineral Reservation Program, where promotion of the business of mining should have been regulated. But since the
government is no longer in charge, greedy corporations and climate offenders do what they want. As a result, there is worsening of
poverty, and unabated floods harm the watersheds, forests, and ancestral domains that are vital to the nation’s survival,” Rivera
explained.
The communities suffer all this destruction, with families repeatedly losing homes and livelihoods. The urban poor are drowning in
debt as floods destroy even their livelihood.
“Filipinos should not buy the idea that the government lacks sufficient funds to allocate a budget for practical and sturdy flood
control projects. The government’s spending on flood management has rapidly increased from 2011 to 2025, with PBBM’s
administration logging the highest spending of more than half a trillion pesos. Yet Metro Manila and most of the flood-prone areas
in the provinces have seen no improvement during this recurring crisis. It is also essential to look at the number of projects
proposed in different provinces, in which only five out of 10 provinces were given priority based on the list of flood-prone areas
identified from the National Adaptation Plan of the Philippines 2023-2050,” Rivera stressed.
Climate Justice Philippines. (2023, August 2). Faulty flood control projects in PH dim prospect of addressing climate and economic
impacts. https://www.climatejustice.ph/post/pmcj-faulty-flood-control-projects-in-ph-dim-prospect-of-addressing-climate-and-
economic-impacts
The Commission on Audit (COA) has found P341 million worth of flood control projects by three
contractors as either substandard, overpriced or non-existent, according to the documents submitted by
the COA and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to the Office of the Ombudsman on
Monday afternoon.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon and COA Chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba turned over the COA Fraud Audit
findings on five flood control projects in person, saying this is in accordance with President Ferdinand
Marcos, Jr.’s directive to hold individuals involved in the flood control mess accountable as soon as
possible.
GMA News Online. (2023, June 14). COA: ₱341 million worth of flood control projects substandard, non-
existent. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/958420/coa-p341-million-worth-of-flood-
control-projects-substandard-non-existent/story/
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Audit (COA) on Thursday, September 18,
announced it will file additional criminal complaints against private contractors and
former public works officials over alleged irregularities in flood-control projects in
Bulacan.
The new cases stem from fraud audit reports (FARs) that COA submitted last week
to the Office of the Ombudsman, covering five flood control projects in the province
that were flagged as either “non-existent or sub-standard.”
Inquirer.net. (2024, June 28). COA to file more raps over ghost, defective flood
control projects. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2110892/coa-to-file-more-raps-
over-ghost-defective-flood-control-projects-2
MANILA – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has ordered National Capital Region (NCR) Regional
Director Gerard Opulencia to explain the supposed irregularities at the Sunog Apog Pumping Station in Tondo.
In a show cause order (SCO) issued Friday night, Secretary Vince Dizon has given the official five days to submit his
response.
“In this regard, you are hereby directed to submit within five days from receipt of this Order your written explanation
under oath as to why no administrative disciplinary action should be taken against you in light of the foregoing findings,”
the order read.
Dizon had called the PHP774-million project useless during an inspection on Wednesday after discovering that it never
functioned properly since its completion in 2020, despite being fully paid.
The DPWH chief also discovered that instead of mitigating flooding, the facility has exacerbated flooding in the area, with
residents reporting significantly worsened water levels.
The project also lacked the required building permit and power connection, preventing energization by Meralco and raising
questions of regulatory compliance.
It was also discovered that an additional PHP94 million upgrading project was initiated, with further proposals for an
additional P200 million, despite the unresolved defects and absence of proof of functionality.
Lastly, there was an apparent lack of coordination with the city government of Manila in the planning and implementation
of the project.
“These circumstances, if left unexplained, may constitute gross neglect of duty, grave misconduct, inefficiency, and/or
conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, in violation of civil service laws, rules, and regulations,” the SCO
said.
“Failure to submit the required explanation within the prescribed period shall be construed as a waiver of your right to be
heard, and this Office shall proceed to resolve the matter based on the evidence and records on hand.”
Dizon was joined during the inspection by Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) Special Adviser Benjamin
Magalong and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno. (PNA)
Philippine News Agency (PNA). (2023, July 5). DPWH condemns ₱774M Sunog Apog pumping station over failures.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1259711
Flood Control in the Philippines
Flood control projects in the Philippines are not enough and not sustainable. Despite billions of pesos being spent,
many communities continue to suffer from destructive flooding every year. Reports from government agencies
and news outlets show that these projects often fail to provide lasting protection, proving that the current
approach is weak and unreliable.
Introduction
Flooding has always been a serious challenge for the Philippines. According to PAGASA, the country is visited by
around 20 typhoons every year, each one bringing the risk of massive flooding. This causes billions in damages,
destroys homes, and disrupts people’s lives, especially in low-lying areas like Metro Manila, Pampanga, and
Cagayan Valley.
The government’s answer has been to build flood control projects such as drainage systems, dikes, and pumping
stations. In theory, these should reduce flood risks. However, many reports show that these projects are not
enough and often fail because of corruption, poor maintenance, and political influence.
Body
First, corruption weakens the quality of projects. The Commission on Audit (COA) reported in 2021 that billions of
pesos were wasted on flood control projects that turned out to be substandard or even non-existent. According to
GMA News, COA found ₱341 million worth of projects in Pampanga and Bulacan that were either poorly built or did
not exist at all, with some dikes collapsing shortly after construction.
Second, many projects are not maintained properly. Flood control is not only about building but also about taking
care of what’s built. In many places, drainage systems are clogged with trash, and pumping stations are outdated.
During Typhoon Ulysses in 2020, floods in Marikina and Quezon City worsened when pumping stations failed to
operate. A report from the Philippine News Agency in 2023 revealed that the ₱774-million Sunog Apog pumping
station in Manila never functioned properly, and instead of preventing floods, it even made the situation worse.
Third, politics often decides where projects are built. According to ABS-CBN News (2025), Quezon City officials
questioned a ₱300-million pumping station funded by DPWH, saying it might worsen flooding instead of solving it.
This shows how some projects are built in the wrong places, not based on actual flood risks but because of
political priorities.
Of course, some projects have helped. The Manggahan Floodway and parts of the Pasig River rehabilitation have
reduced flooding in certain areas of Metro Manila. However, as Climate Justice Philippines pointed out in 2023,
these successes are limited, and flooding still happens almost every year in places like Marikina and Cagayan. This
shows that the current system cannot keep up with the scale of the problem.
Another issue is that flood control focuses too much on infrastructure. Problems like deforestation, poor waste
disposal, and unregulated urban development make flooding worse by blocking waterways and reducing the land’s
ability to absorb water. Unless these root causes are fixed, floods will continue no matter how many dikes or
pumping stations are built.
Conclusion
In conclusion, current flood control projects in the Philippines are not enough and not sustainable. Reports from
COA, PAGASA, ABS-CBN News, and PNA show how corruption, poor maintenance, and political influence continue
to weaken these projects. While some areas have improved, the reality is that floods still bring major damage every
year. To protect people, the government must make projects transparent, keep them well-maintained, and focus on
the areas that need them most. At the same time, deeper issues like deforestation and waste management must be
addressed. Flooding will always be a part of life in the Philippines, but with honest leadership and proper planning,
the country can build systems that are reliable and truly sustainable.
